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Lionel Richie, 77, Cancels 3 Shows After Heart Procedure for A-fib

His rep says the singer is ‘doing great’ after a common procedure for the heart rhythm condition

3-minute read

Donna Freydkin,

AARP

Published September 23, 2026

Lionel Richie playing a piano while performing onstage

Lionel Richie, seen here performing on Aug. 29, 2026, has paused his tour after undergoing treatment for a heart condition.

David Carson/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via Getty Images

Key takeaways

Lionel Richie canceled shows in San Francisco, Chicago and Columbus, Ohio, after undergoing what his rep described as a common procedure for atrial fibrillation.
This is the third health-related episode of Richie’s tour, after a halted show in St. Paul, Minnesota, in June and a hospital visit for cardiac tests in St. Louis in August.
Atrial fibrillation is an irregular and often rapid heartbeat.

Lionel Richie has undergone a heart procedure after earlier health scares.

The singer, 77, was hospitalized this week for heart issues during his Sing a Song All Night Long tour with Earth, Wind & Fire, canceling the next three shows, his representative told media outlets on Sept. 22.

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“Lionel underwent a common procedure for atrial fibrillation,” the representative said. “The doctor said everything went perfectly.”

The rep added, “Lionel is doing great but will take some time off and will be back on stage soon.”

The representative did not say which procedure Richie had or when it took place.

The canceled shows were set for San Francisco on Sept. 26, Chicago on Sept. 30 and Columbus, Ohio, on Oct. 2. The Chicago and Columbus dates had already been rescheduled after postponements earlier in the tour, according to Billboard.

This week’s hospitalization marks the tour’s third health-related interruption since June. On June 24 at Grand Casino Arena in St. Paul, Minnesota, Richie told the crowd he felt dizzy and cut the show short, The Minnesota Star Tribune reported. He postponed two concerts and returned June 30.

On Aug. 29, after a concert in St. Louis, he checked himself into a hospital out of caution, according to People. He underwent cardiac tests and was released Sept. 2.

A-fib: What to know

Atrial fibrillation, or A-fib, is an irregular and often very rapid heart rhythm, according to the Mayo Clinic. The heart’s upper chambers beat chaotically and fall out of sync with the lower chambers. Some people feel a pounding or fluttering heartbeat, dizziness, fatigue, shortness of breath or weakness. Others have no symptoms.

A-fib itself is usually not life-threatening, but it can cause serious complications. Blood can pool in the heart and form clots that may travel to the brain. The Mayo Clinic lists stroke among the complications and notes that the risk of stroke from A-fib rises with age. The risk of developing A-fib also increases as people get older. Other risk factors include high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, sleep apnea, heart conditions and heavy alcohol use.

Heart health 101

Want to know more about keeping your heart healthy? Visit AARP’s Heart Health page for the latest on symptoms, risk factors, treatments and everyday ways to protect your cardiovascular health.

Treatment may include medication, electrical cardioversion or catheter ablation, according to the American Heart Association. Electrical cardioversion delivers a small shock to the chest while the patient is under mild anesthesia to reset the heart’s rhythm. Catheter ablation threads a thin tube through a blood vessel to the heart, where doctors destroy tissue that is causing faulty electrical signals. Recovery from ablation is usually short.

Richie has judged American Idol for all nine seasons since ABC revived the show in 2018. The network renewed the competition for a 25th season and says it will return in 2027.

As of Sept. 23, Richie’s Las Vegas residency remains on the calendar, with the Wynn Las Vegas still listing six “King of Hearts” shows at the Encore Theater beginning Oct. 14.

The key takeaways were created with the assistance of generative AI. An AARP editor reviewed and refined the content for accuracy and clarity.

Donna Freydkin has spent 10-plus years interviewing celebrities for major publications, and has written for a variety of outlets such as USA Today, Allure, Yahoo! and CNN covering topics such as films, family and favorite meals.